Hyundai Sonata vs Nissan Altima: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (October 2026), the Hyundai Sonata typically lists for $22,669 against $20,832 for the Nissan Altima (same model years — 2024–2026 — national medians from live listings). The Hyundai Sonata takes fuel economy (27 MPG combined vs 26 MPG); the Hyundai Sonata leads on NCAP safety (5.0★ vs 4.9★ average). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the SEL at $21,990 vs the S at $18,562; see the trim-by-trim tables for a fair match. Every figure below is live market data, not book values.
Head to head
Trim-by-trim prices (last 4 model years)
A fair comparison matches equivalent trims, not overall medians. Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, the Hyundai Sonata SEL ($21,990) faces the Nissan Altima S ($18,562); the most common trims on the market are the SEL (68.7% of Hyundai Sonata listings) and the SV (68.1% of Nissan Altima listings); at the top of the market, the N LINE ($29,492) faces the SL ($24,301). Share = portion of the model's trim-labeled used listings (a supply-side popularity signal: what the market actually stocks and sells most). “Cheapest”/“Priciest” mark the ends of the quotable trim range — trim ladders don't map one-to-one across brands, so this is not a factory base-model claim.
| Hyundai Sonata | Nissan Altima | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trim | Typical price | Share | Trim | Typical price | Share |
| SELMost popularCheapest | $21,990 | 68.7% | SCheapest | $18,562 | 5.8% |
| SEL PLUS | $22,309 | 1.9% | SVMost popular | $20,000 | 68.1% |
| SE | $24,410 | 7.2% | SR | $22,175 | 21.2% |
| BLUE | $25,085 | 3.2% | SLPriciest | $24,301 | 4.8% |
| SEL CONVENIENCE | $26,598 | 1.2% | — | ||
| LIMITED | $27,339 | 6.2% | — | ||
| SEL SPORT | $28,561 | 8.2% | — | ||
| N LINEPriciest | $29,492 | 3.4% | — | ||
Rows are aligned by price position (both sides sorted cheapest-first), not by equivalent equipment — trim names never map one-to-one across brands. Full per-trim detail (price ranges, mileage) is on each model's price page: Hyundai Sonata prices · Nissan Altima prices.
Used price by model year
| Year | Hyundai Sonata typical | Nissan Altima typical | Difference | Hyundai Sonata MPG | Nissan Altima MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $27,985 | $22,338 | Hyundai Sonata +$5,647 | 27–32 MPG | 28–30 MPG |
| 2025 | $22,669 | $20,832 | Hyundai Sonata +$1,837 | 27–32 MPG | 28–31 MPG |
| 2024 | $21,487 | $19,577 | Hyundai Sonata +$1,910 | 27–29 MPG | 29–31 MPG |
| 2023 | $21,700 | $20,554 | Hyundai Sonata +$1,146 | 27–32 MPG | 29–31 MPG |
| 2022 | $19,787 | $17,584 | Hyundai Sonata +$2,203 | 27–32 MPG | 29–32 MPG |
| 2021 | $16,995 | $15,999 | Hyundai Sonata +$996 | 27–32 MPG | 29–32 MPG |
| 2020 | $17,085 | $14,366 | Hyundai Sonata +$2,719 | 31–32 MPG | 29–32 MPG |
| 2019 | $12,988 | $13,950 | Nissan Altima +$962 | 26–39 MPG | 29–32 MPG |
| 2018 | $11,987 | $10,968 | Hyundai Sonata +$1,019 | 26–39 MPG | 26–31 MPG |
| 2017 | $9,838 | $9,637 | Hyundai Sonata +$201 | 24–39 MPG | 26–31 MPG |
| 2016 | $8,999 | $8,995 | Hyundai Sonata +$4 | 24–40 MPG | 26–31 MPG |
| 2015 | $8,850 | $7,995 | Hyundai Sonata +$855 | 24–31 MPG | 26–31 MPG |
| 2014 | $7,495 | $7,499 | Nissan Altima +$4 | 24–27 MPG | 25–31 MPG |
| 2013 | $6,995 | $6,963 | Hyundai Sonata +$32 | 26–27 MPG | 25–31 MPG |
| 2012 | $6,900 | $5,995 | Hyundai Sonata +$905 | 26–27 MPG | 21–26 MPG |
| 2011 | $5,995 | $5,700 | Hyundai Sonata +$295 | 26–27 MPG | 21–33 MPG |
| 2010 | $5,690 | $5,499 | Hyundai Sonata +$191 | 22–25 MPG | 21–34 MPG |
| 2009 | $5,049 | $5,399 | Nissan Altima +$350 | 22–25 MPG | 21–34 MPG |
| 2008 | $4,995 | $4,752 | Hyundai Sonata +$243 | 22–25 MPG | 22–34 MPG |
| 2007 | $4,886 | $4,881 | Hyundai Sonata +$5 | 21–25 MPG | 22–34 MPG |
| 2006 | $4,554 | $4,995 | Nissan Altima +$441 | 21–25 MPG | 21–24 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (October 2026); MPG = EPA combined range across rated versions.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper to buy used — Hyundai Sonata or Nissan Altima?
Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Nissan Altima is cheaper: it typically lists for $20,832 versus $22,669 for the Hyundai Sonata (national medians, October 2026).
Which gets better fuel economy — Hyundai Sonata or Nissan Altima?
The Hyundai Sonata: its typical rated version returns 27 MPG combined versus 26 MPG for the Nissan Altima (median across EPA-rated versions of the compared years).
Which is safer — Hyundai Sonata or Nissan Altima?
By NCAP overall crash-test rating the Hyundai Sonata averages 5.0 of 5 stars across rated years versus 4.9 for the Nissan Altima. Always check the specific model year's rating in the table above.
Which is more reliable — Hyundai Sonata or Nissan Altima?
NHTSA lists an average of 4.7 recalls per model year for the Hyundai Sonata and 4.0 for the Nissan Altima — an edge for the Nissan Altima. Recall and complaint counts scale with sales volume, so treat them as context and check any specific car's VIN history.
Which trims should I actually compare?
Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, a Hyundai Sonata SEL typically lists for $21,990 vs $18,562 for a Nissan Altima S; the most common trims on the market are the SEL ($21,990, 68.7% of Hyundai Sonata listings) and the SV ($20,000, 68.1% of Nissan Altima listings); at the top of the market, the N LINE ($29,492) faces the SL ($24,301). Overall medians hide this trim mix — use the trim tables above for a fair match. Trim names never map one-to-one across brands, so "cheapest" means the least expensive trim with a real market share, not the factory base.
https://vehisales.com/research/compare/hyundai/sonata/vs/nissan/altima.
Dig deeper
Hyundai Sonata — live listings & specs Nissan Altima — live listings & specs Hyundai Sonata prices by year Nissan Altima prices by year Hyundai Sonata MPG by year Nissan Altima MPG by year
See also: All model comparisons · Best used cars by budget · Used car prices by model.